Saker, Surrey, Deery battle it out for top coach award

By
JAKE BOURKE

THREE in the running for AFL North East Borders’ coach of the year award.

Lavington's James Saker is one of three Border coaches nominated for top coach of 2014.

JAMES Saker, Brenton Surrey and Bill Deery are in the running for AFL North East Borders’ coach of the year award.

The Lavington, Beechworth and Cudgewa coaches have been short-listed for the senior title from a list of 11 nominees across four categories.

Peter Rourke (Wangaratta), Adrian Johnston (Wangaratta) and David McKenzie (Wodonga) are up for the Auskick award, with Brendan Maclean (St Pats) and Jason Hollard (Lavington) in the running for the season’s best junior coach.

Jeff Chandler, the secretary of AFL NEB’s coaches association, said there was unprecedented interest in the awards this year.

“Our coaches put considerable time and effort into the development of players and teams and we should celebrate those who have been able to achieve positive results but not necessarily based on a team’s ladder position,” Chandler said.

“We have been committed to developing a strong coaching culture in the region throughout the year and have made significant progress with clubs now prepared to nominate their coaches as recognition for their contribution to football.”

The awards will be presented at the region’s first coaches’ dinner at Albury’s Commercial Club on Monday, September 8.